The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-10-17


lures He Falls Victim of Fever in
Tennessee.
From the St. Louis Globe Democrat
In all of Missouri's early history there is,
perhaps. no man, "reminiscences of whose
career are as thoroughly lurid as that of
Col. John Smith T., of Ste. Genevieve, who,
after killing fifteen men in duels and brawls,
was at last permitted by an inscrutable
providence to die natural death in his bed,
attended by faithful servitors.
In a recent lecture before the Missouri
Historical Society, Gen. Firman A. Rf,ier,
incidental to history of early days In Ste
Genevieve, gave a short sketch of this re-
markable man, whom he designated as John
Smith T., Judge and desperado The attix
of ct" was made by Col. Smith to distin-
guish himself from other John Smiths OF
the day, and to commemorate the fact that
he had lived in Tennessee. Originally a
native of Georgia, he located for awhile in
Tennessee, but came to Missouri, then
known as Upper Louisiana, in about 1898,
settling in the Ste. Genevieve district,
and giving to his homestead the name
of Shibboleth. Col. Smith seems to have
been an ideal desperate, being described as
tall, slight of build, why i'll person and
mild-mamnered, even apparently courteous,
except when aroused by some real or fancied
insult Then his appearance was most
ferocious. His features would become dis
torted with passion and his eyes would
fairly blaze with wrathful fire. Col. Smith
was q dead shot. if ever one lived, and
always went armed to the teeth. His per-
sonal equipment consisted daily of two large
pistols swung to a belt abut his body, two
smaller pistols carried in the outside pocket
of his coat, and large hunting knife of
the bowie pattern, which reposed in his
bosom. His home was a perfect armory.
He owned slave whom he called Dan, who
was fine gunsmith. He built shop for
Dan, and that slaves only duty was the
manufacture and repair of rifles, pistols and
shotguns for his master. These weapons
were reputed to be the trueSt and best in
the Western country.
About the time of Aarol E,T's expedi-
ton down the Mississippi river there came
to Ste Genevieve an Austrian named Otto
Schrader. who had been aide-de-camp to the
Archduke Charles in the first battle with
Napoleon. 1t was in this same battle that
Maria Louise. then a Princess, aged years,
had to be sent away to keep her from falling
into the hands of Napoleon-Maria Louise,
who, few years later, when she became a
woman, fell into the arms and fond EN-
braces of Napoleon as his wife Schrader
his residence in Missouri. Col. Smith, who
was then Judge of the Court of Common
Pleas, something like the County Court of
to-day, and Henry Dodge, afterward SEN
ator from Wisconsin, was Sheriff of Ste
Genevieve district. Smith and Dodge were
at the time sworn friends, although they af-
terward became deadly enemies. They were
fired with Burr's ambition to go over to Mex
leo and the Spanish provinces, and con-
cluded to join the expedition. They pur-
chased a fleet of canoes, and, well supplied
with arms and provisions started down the
Mississippi to join Burr. At New Madrid
they were met by President Jeffersons
proclamation declaring Burr and his whole
enterprise unlawful Much disguised, the
Missourians sold their canoes, purchased
horses and rode back to Ste Genevieve.
When they returned they found the little
town in great excitement. The grand jury
was in session and had actually indicted
both of them for treason. Dodge at once
surrendered himself, whereupon, being
man of wonderful physique, he took off his
ceat, rolled up his sleeves, and actually
whipped nine of the grand jurors The
other three ran away. Col Smith lived out
in tine country. The next day he was lust
about sitting down to dinner, when, looking
down the road, he saw Schrader, the Coro-
ner, coming after him. Smith went to the
door and called out TO Schrader: Il know
come with writ to arrest me. If you at
tempt it you are dead man. 1t was great
outrage to arrest me. | am as good friend
of the United States as there is in this terri
tory. Mr.. Schrader, dinner is Just ready
Get down and come in and take dinner, but
mark, If you attempt to move finger or
make a motion to arrest me you are a dead
man. Schrader got off and came in. Smith
pointed to a chair at the table, and then
cooking pistol laid it beside plate and
sat down opposite. The dinner progressed
as pleasantly as possible under the circum-
stances, the host plying his guest with the
delicacieS the meal afforded. After dinner
the couple rode into town again, but Smith
was not a prisoner, nor was he ever arrested
on that Indictment.
The inhabitants of upper Louisiana ap-
pointed Smith to attend to their interests in
Congress, says one authority Others say
he elected himself, and such was the terror
that his name inspired that no one dared to
question his assumption of the title of Ter
ritorial delegate. Be that as it may he
twice visited Washington and was accepted
as the Territorial delegate. During his stay
in the national capital he CONSIDERABLY re-
Trained from killing any one. and eyen
found 1T impossible TO scrape up duel with
any of the fire-eaters that abounded thara
earring the first half century of the existence
W the republic. While abiding the results
Vi Inc ITesiueuGldl Suppression of Aaron
Burr's ambition, he, like most of his class
looked upon Mexico as & field for adventure
and gain, and in 1910 entered that country
alone to rescue a brother, who was inn
prisoned IN chihuahua mine, and while
on unat mission endeavored to create a revo-
luton II This he was not successful In
looo ne was appointed one of the Territorial
Judges of the Court of General Quarter
SESSIONS. This body met at Ste Genevieve,
and Col. Smith was q member of it up to
the admission of the State into the Union.
Even while occupying this judicial position.
his primitive ideas of the rights of property
underwent no change, and recruiting a
large body of desperate men he endeavored
TO seize and hold the lead mines of Dubuque
and Galena, reported then to be of fabu-
lous richness The mines were in possession
of the Indians, and Smiths party, after
several bloody engagements, were forced to
withdraw with a loss of fully half his men,
In September, $780, Smith went to Ste.
GenevieAe, and while INDUCING in liquor
with an old citizen named Samuel Ball at
the tavern of William Macarthur, they
quarreled, and Smith shot Ball through the
head. Mrs. Macarthur, a brave woman,
heard the shot, and running into the room,
saw Ball lying dead or the floor She de-
nounced the killing as cowardly act, and
demanded of Smith that he surrender his
pistol. Producing the four weapons which
he always carried, he handed them to her
with courteous bow, and said: Take